Education and MTP News

MTP Tacoma Gets Muddy at Cyclocross

Sara Kiesler — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:46:16 +0000

MTP Tacoma Gets Muddy at Cyclocross Sara Kiesler Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:46

Publication/Release Date

Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:55

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Elisse LaRoche

Read time

2 min read

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On a perfectly rainy Pacific Northwest weekend, five Major Taylor Project (MTP) high school students woke up before dawn to ride bikes harder than they’d ever ridden them before. It might have been the last cyclocross race of the season, but it was a first time experience for our students – and possibly the most muddy they’ve ever been.

Cascade’s MTP students and staff were honored to participate in The Woodland Park Gran Prix, which is one of the largest cyclocross events in the nation. Racers lap through the park with steep hill climbs, tight hairpin turns, and treacherous obstacles along the muddy course while tightly packed together.

Despite an intense 40 minute sprint through the mud, the students’ determination never waived; as proof from a Lincoln high senior who boasted, “it was good until I fell. Then after, it was great again!”

Another student, a senior from Mount Tahoma high school, was equally unperturbed by the terrain. “My favorite moment was from the race itself, and even when I fell and got muddy, it was super fun!”

Events like these are an important way for us to give students from Pierce County an opportunity to leave their neighbourhood and explore the wider world of cycling. It is also an excellent way to introduce students to the incredibly supportive and diverse cyclocross community, who welcome racers of all ages and abilities.

A favourite moment from the race shared by students, aside from the sweet relief of crossing the finish line and finally being able to rest, was how supportive the spectators were: cheering them on and handing out doughnuts and gummy worms along the course.

The whole day would not have been possible without MFG Cyclocross. They not only put on the event, but also hooked us up with a sweet parking spot, free registration, and unlimited high-fives! The encouragement and camaraderie the students experienced at the race will help mold them into future cycling mentors.

The Major Taylor project reaches 200 youth annually in middle and high schools in central and south King County and in Pierce County. Our club locations and recruitment efforts are intentionally established to reach students of historically marginalized backgrounds where we work together to build community and autonomy and to have fun. Typically, MTP students focus on biking for transportation, but thanks to funders like the Names Family Foundation, interested students had the opportunity to expand their bike horizons.

If you would like to support The Major Taylor Project, please consider making a gift at cascade.org/donate.

Thank You to our Sponsors

The Names Family Foundation

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All Aboard the Bike Bus on Bike to School Day

Paul Tolmé — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 20:27:05 +0000

All Aboard the Bike Bus on Bike to School Day Paul Tolmé Thu, 04/10/2025 - 13:27

Publication/Release Date

Thu, 04/10/2025 - 15:00

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Paul Tolmé

Read time

2 min read

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Seattle’s Dunlap Elementary is among the growing number of schools offering so-called bike buses as a healthy and smart alternative to driving to school.

“It’s so joyful,” says Alex Wakeman Rouse, a Dunlap Elementary School parent and PTA member. “We meet at a park on Wednesday mornings and bike together down a quiet street to school. It’s a great start to the day."

Bike buses are caravans of students, parents, and neighbors who ride to school together, rolling slowly in a group, ensuring that everyone arrives safely while teaching kids about the freedom of biking to destinations.

May 7 is National Bike to School Day, and May is Bike Everywhere Month presented by Amazon, Microsoft & Lime. It’s the perfect opportunity to start or join a bike bus or bike to school.

“Bike buses are a fun, meaningful, actionable way to connect with neighbors,” says Brooke Nelson, Seattle Safe Routes to School coordinator.

A former Major Taylor Project ride leader for Cascade, Nelson urges PTA members and educators to apply for a FREE bike bus starter kit with helmets, bells, and lights from the Seattle Department of Transportation.

Smiles and Laughter the Whole Time

In addition to Dunlap Elementary, 12 other Seattle schools are planning bike buses or Bike to School Day events: Viewlands Elementary, South Shore Elementary, Eckstein Middle School, Green Lake Elementary, Chief Sealth High, Concord International Elementary, Genesee Hill Elementary, Hawthorne Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, Queen Anne Elementary, Stevens Elementary, and West Woodland Elementary.

There are also bike to school events planned at two Bellevue schools (Phantom Lake Elementary and Spiritridge Elementary), in Port Townsend at Salish Coast Elementary, and in Vancouver at Roosevelt Elementary. These are among more than 1,100 events planned nationwide, according to the national Walk Bike & Roll to School tracker.

“By biking to school instead of driving you can avoid the crowded pickup and drop-off zone, reduce traffic and air pollution, and have a fun time as well,” Nelson says.

Dunlap Elementary School’s bike bus departs every Wednesday through the spring and fall terms, pausing for winter when it’s dark and rainy.

Dunlap parent Woody Sobey says the bike bus is a big hit with his daughter. “Bike Bus Day is the easiest day to get her to school,” he says. “It’s smiles and laughter the whole time.”

Bike Everywhere Month presented by Amazon, Microsoft & Lime

Learn more about bike buses (also called bike trains) and other bike-to-school opportunities on Cascade’s Biking to School page.

Want to start a bike bus in Seattle? Email Nelson from here to learn more and get a FREE starter kit.

Not a parent? There are many opportunities to ride with us during Bike Everywhere Month presented by Amazon, Microsoft & Lime.

Pedal to a Celebration Station on May 14, Bike Everywhere Day.
Join the Bike Everywhere Day Bash at Town Hall Seattle, where we will have a conversation about "Building a Bikeable Seattle."
Pierce County has a Bike Everywhere Challenge for the entire month of May.

All aboard the bike bus!

Visett’s Dream to Bike: A Major Taylor Project Spotlight

Paul Tolmé — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 21:20:28 +0000

Visett’s Dream to Bike: A Major Taylor Project Spotlight Paul Tolmé Mon, 03/17/2025 - 14:20

Publication/Release Date

Tue, 03/18/2025 - 13:20

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Paul Tolmé

Read time

3 min read

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Like many young people, Visset dreamed of learning to ride a bicycle.

While walking to high school in Tacoma, he would think about how much fun it would be to bike to school instead, and how much faster and farther he could go.

Thanks to his hard work, and the support of Cascade’s Major Taylor Project, Visett achieved his goal last year. Just before graduating from Lincoln High School, he earned a Bicycle Certificate of Achievement award, along with a bike, lock, light, and helmet.

The Major Taylor Project receives funding through the Climate Commitment Act from the Washington State Department of Transportation to support our after school bike clubs, which provide an opportunity for youth, like Visett, to earn a bicycle and safety equipment.

“He did all the hard work,” says Josh Stowell, who manages Cascade’s Tacoma Major Taylor Project. “I'm so proud of him.”

Visett can now be seen biking to his job and other destinations in Tacoma, a young adult whose horizons have expanded due to the magic of bicycles–the most efficient transportation machines ever invented.

“Visset's determination for more independence was his main goal,” Stowell says. “I’m so happy that we were able to give him the tools to reach that goal.”

Celebrate Major Taylor and Support MTP on April 13

Cascade is proud to spotlight Visett’s story because it shows how individuals, families, communities, and society all benefit when we teach kids how to bike. On April 13, you can support the Major Taylor Project–MTP for short–and Cascade’s bike education efforts by registering for the Ride for Major Taylor.

With 26- and 62-mile routes, plus rest stops and a finish line meal, the Ride for Major Taylor celebrates the legacy of Black American cycling champion Marshall “Major” Taylor and raises funds that support the work of MTP and other education programs.

The 26-mile route includes the Duwamish Trail and Alki Trail.

The 62-mile route includes ferry rides to and from Vashon Island.

Visett Learns to Bike and Earns a Bike

In 2024, Luke Eudaily, a teacher at Lincoln High School, introduced Stowell to Visett, who was walking 30 minutes each way to school. Visett joined the after-school bike club that Stowell and Elisse LaRoche, MTP Tacoma coordinator, oversee at Lincoln High.

Major Taylor Project breaks down barriers to cycling for youth of color in Pierce and King counties, offering after-school bike clubs in 10 middle and high schools located in historically marginalized communities.

There are MTP bike clubs at five schools in Tacoma: Mount Tahoma, First Creek, Chief Leschi, Stewart, and Lincoln. Cascade also operates five clubs at schools in Seattle and King County: Tyee High School, Cascade Middle School, Talley High School, Dimmitt Middle School, and Garfield High School.

Visset was an enthusiastic student right from the start, meeting with Stowell and Eudaily for one-on-one practice sessions. Stowell loaned Visett a bike to practice at home, and within three weeks Visett was biking confidently around the school.

When Visett got a flat, he watched online repair tutorials and patched it on his own. “That’s a true testament to his independence and resourcefulness,” Stowell says.

Today, Stowell often sees Visett’s bike locked up outside the South Tacoma Public Library, or catches a glimpse of him biking to destinations around Tacoma. “I don’t think I will ever forget the excitement Visett showed the day he received his award and new bicycle.”

Support the dreams of more youth by registering for the Ride for Major Taylor on April 13. Because bicycling is a form of exercise and transportation that fosters both healthy bodies and minds, as well as healthy communities.

Enjoy spring blossoms during Ride for Major Taylor

Learn more about Marshall “Major” Taylor, a Black cycling legend who set numerous world records, won a World Championship and multiple national championships--all while battling racism throughout his career from the late 1800s to early 1900s.

And don’t miss our Bike Everywhere Luncheon on April 30, where we will celebrate our youth education initiatives with the theme: “If You Teach a Kid to Bike.” Visett is off and rolling, but there are many more youth who dream of biking.

Orondo Students Earn New Bikes as Bike Education Expands Statewide

Paul Tolmé — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 17:38:57 +0000

Orondo Students Earn New Bikes as Bike Education Expands Statewide Paul Tolmé Wed, 03/20/2024 - 10:38

Publication/Release Date

Wed, 03/20/2024 - 16:00

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Paul Tolmé

Read time

3 min read

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Maria Gomez was overjoyed when she learned that her son, Alex, had earned a new bicycle through the statewide bike education expansion that Cascade is bringing to schools across Washington.

“I’m really appreciative and thankful,” said Gomez, a mother of six, following a community celebration at Orondo Elementary and Middle School on March 15.

Alex, a fifth grader, was among the first 19 students to earn a bike through Washington’s School-Based Bicycle Safety Education Program, which teaches age-appropriate bike skills to kids from elementary through high school.

Alex and his new bike.

Cascade Bicycle Club is implementing the bike education curriculum in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation. The program has three pillars:

In-school “Let’s Go” education for grades three to eight.
After-school youth development programming for students in grades six to 12.
An equity-focused Earn-a-Bike opportunity for youth to earn their own bicycle, lock, helmet, and lights.

The program prioritizes schools with the highest need, with a goal of improving public health, advancing equity, and furthering Washington’s climate goals by teaching youth the essential skills of walking, biking, and mass transit as primary forms of mobility. Funding comes from the state’s Climate Commitment Act.

A Happy Day in Orondo

Orondo is a small, rural community in unincorporated Douglas County, located along the Columbia River between Wenatchee and Chelan in the heart of Washington’s fruit growing region.

Last fall, Orondo Elementary and Middle School was among the first schools to receive the in-class Let’s Go–Across the State bike education curriculum, which is taught during physical education classes.

The Earn-a-Bike initiative ensures that students like Alex who learn bike skills in school can put their bicycling skills to work in their neighborhoods and integrate bikes into their lives.

On March 15, officials with Orondo Elementary and the North Central Educational Service District held a community gathering to celebrate the purchase of 19 bikes for the Orondo fifth graders who completed Let’s Go training last fall.

Students, families, and educators packed the bleachers in the school gymnasium, where 19 new bicycles were lined up for the students and their families to take home. The event was a joyous celebration and a major milestone as the state’s first Earn-a-Bike event.

Up to 700 youth statewide will earn their own bikes (and about 20 adaptive trikes) this year as part of the School-Based Bicycle Safety Education Program, which is serving 14 school districts in its first pilot school year. The Earn-a-Bike initiative:

Benefits youth and families in communities with high Environmental Health Burdens.
Includes adaptive cycling equipment for youth with disabilities.
Supports economic growth by purchasing bikes through local shops and vendors when possible.

A happy Earn-a-Bike family outside Orondo Elementary and Middle School.

Bringing Bike Education to Children Statewide

In the 2023-2024 school year, Cascade has partnered with six large school districts to implement the Let’s Go curriculum: Spokane, Tacoma, Bellingham, Highline, Everett, and Vancouver.

An in-school Let's Go-Across the State class. Students learn bike skills during physical education classes.

To serve smaller school districts, we have partnered with the Association of Educational Service Districts to reach 14 school districts within the North Central Educational Service District 171 (home to Orondo), as well as the Northwest Educational Service District 189.

Next year and through 2038, the program will expand to include more schools–until an estimated 90 percent of all Washington students are receiving bike education and skills training.

This statewide expansion makes Washington a national leader in youth bike education, with the most comprehensive curriculum of any state in the nation.

Another happy Orondo Earn-a-Bike family.

The state Legislature created the School-Based Bicycle Safety Education Program as part of the Move Ahead Washington transportation package approved in 2022. Funding comes from the state’s Climate Commitment Act.

The Climate Commitment Act supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. In 2023, the Climate Commitment Act raised $1.8 billion that is now being invested in programs that increase climate resiliency, funding alternative transportation programs, and helping Washington transition to a cleaner and greener economy.

“I just hope this program continues growing,” Maria Gomez said. “It shows kids how to ride a bike, it helps them get exercise, and it helps them feel free. I’m really happy about this program. I know it will help a lot of kids and put a smile on their faces.”

Learn More:

Statewide School-Based Bicycle Safety and Education Program.
Let’s Go–Across the State.
After-school Statewide Youth Development, modeled on Cascade’s Major Taylor Project.
Climate Commitment Act.

MTP Tacoma Students Help Rebuild Swan Creek Mountain Bike Trails

Sara Kiesler — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 18:33:58 +0000

MTP Tacoma Students Help Rebuild Swan Creek Mountain Bike Trails Sara Kiesler Tue, 02/13/2024 - 10:33

Publication/Release Date

Tue, 02/13/2024 - 11:02

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Sara Kiesler

Read time

2 min read

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For years, the tight, switchback corner at one edge of Swan Creek’s Hustle and Flow Trail had sent novice mountain bikers off their bikes and into the woods.

Today, thanks to work by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance and the help of Major Taylor Project volunteers, that tight and scary corner has been re-shaped and moved so all-ages mountain bikers can ride smoothly around the trail.

“It was hard for people to ride before,” said Ian Robinson, a trailbuilder with Evergreen. “People used to lock up their brakes and wash out.”

Tacoma MTP Manager Josh Stowell, left, and Mt. Tahoma teacher and MTP volunteer Phil Lord, right, admire the former location of the dangerous "Hustle and Flow" trail curve at Swan Creek Park.

Josh Stowell, the Tacoma Major Taylor Project Manager, loves introducing MTP students to biking of many varieties – from trail riding to mountain biking to road riding. Stowell grew up racing BMX bikes with his friend Jeremy Bushnell, who now works at Evergreen as a trailbuilder, and the two connected over the trail work volunteer opportunities for MTP students.

“It’s exciting to see students’ love of biking grow and blossom,” said Stowell. “There isn’t just one way to ride bikes. We can ride for transportation to visit friends or get around to our jobs, but we can also be out here riding jumps and corners for fun.”

The crew of trail volunteers, including Tacoma Major Taylor Project students, volunteers, and staff as well as Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance trailbuilders.

On a drizzly day in early February, about nine MTP students joined the trail maintenance party. They spent the afternoon exploring the fruits of their labor by bike.

Yahsuni Reed, a senior at Idea High School who has been joining MTP Club in Tacoma for two years, said he just loves riding bikes, and mountain biking adds an exciting way to ride.

“I like that it’s unpredictable. You don’t know if you’re going to fall or go down, but the most you’ll hurt is your ego,” said Reed.

Swan Creek’s history dates back to local Native Americans who hunted and held council on the land, which eventually became part of the Puyallup Tribe’s reservation. Over time, that land was stolen and sold to various buyers, and after becoming part of a housing development, much of the canyon and wooded area became Metro Parks Tacoma’s Swan Creek Park.

Swan Creek Park’s mountain bike trails have been carved out of the woods of East Tacoma for about 10 years, according to Evergreen staff. Evergreen reports numerous all ages options, including “Hustle and Flow,” a beginner 1.75 mile trail through douglas firs, “Feedback” a short, beginner-friendly trail, and more advanced options like “Light Rail” and “Braking Bad.”

Visit Swan Creek any time of day or early evening and you will see mountain bike enthusiasts of all ages running trails – enjoying the smooth “hero dirt” and rollers, thanks to trail builders and volunteers like those at Evergreen.

Spooky Spokes: MTP Tacoma Celebrates Halloween

Admin Example — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 17:03:09 +0000

Spooky Spokes: MTP Tacoma Celebrates Halloween Admin Example Thu, 11/02/2023 - 10:03

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Thu, 11/02/2023 - 03:03

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Education and MTP News

Author

Sara Kiesler

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1 min read

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As the school year winds down, Josh Stowell wanted to celebrate the Major Taylor Project Tacoma's growth this year with an all-out party. Tacoma's MTP Operations Manager, Stowell thought his students deserved an amazing Halloween party as a reward for their hard work and training.

Stowell pulled out all the stops, including bringing dozens of bikes he built over a month and a half for his students to ride. The costume-themed Halloween bike extravaganza included a taco bar, cake, accessible tricycles, "tall tall and short tall" bikes, prizes, games, and more.

The evening kicked off with students taking a "spooky spin" around the Mount Tahoma High School gymnasium, testing out their skills on unicycles, electric-recumbant bikes, BMX bikes, and all sorts of two-wheeled and three-wheeled cycles.

More than 20 students from across Tacoma joined the celebration. They hailed from every school Cascade MTP is located at -- Mount Tahoma, IDEA, Lincoln, Stewart, and First Creek.

Volunteers helped set up a taco bar with chips and salsa + candy bags for each student, while Josh organized dozens of giveaways for students, including skull-decorated helmets, bike pumps, bike lights, warm-weather gear, T-shirts, and even a new bike.

All in all, the event was a boo-nanas good time!

Major Taylor Project Apprentices: ‘We Ride the Same Road’

Admin Example — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:55:15 +0000

Major Taylor Project Apprentices: ‘We Ride the Same Road’ Admin Example Fri, 03/31/2023 - 09:55

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Fri, 03/31/2023 - 02:55

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Education and MTP News

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Community Support

Author

Paul Tolmé

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1 min read

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MTP Ride Leader Brooke Nelson is spearheading the creation of a new apprenticeship program to train the next generation of ride leaders.
We passed the mic to Brooke and her student apprentices to share their feelings about the fulfillment that comes from teaching bike skills.
Support MTP by registering for the Ride for Major Taylor on April 23.

By Brooke Nelson, Josue Soledad, Ari Ramirez, and Nelson Platero

Major Taylor Project ride leaders are champions for youth on bikes. They are the paid staff members and volunteers who form the closest bonds with youth who participate in Cascade’s MTP bike clubs. Before the season begins, they visit schools to promote and encourage students to join our after-school bike clubs. During the season they prepare and teach lessons, plan riding routes, and provide youth with hands-on instruction in the transformative, challenging, and fun aspects of bicycling.

To help train and foster the next generation of ride leaders, MTP Ride Leader Brooke Nelson (pictured above) led an effort to create an MTP Apprenticeship program. Nelson is a graduate student and ride leader who works closely with MTP Manager Joel Allen to bring our passion for bicycling–and the transformative power of riding a bike–to youth in the Highline School District.

The MTP Apprenticeship program provides apprentices with a stipend and offers students the opportunity to learn firsthand from our talented ride leaders, with a goal of inspiring the next generation of ride leaders.

To offer you a window into the apprenticeships and the fulfillment of teaching bike skills to youth, we asked Nelson to tell her story in her own words. She, in turn, passed the mic to several of the first apprentices. Cascade would also like to thank the Montlake Bicycle Shop and the QBP Community Grant Program for funding the MTP Apprenticeship program. Read our Q&A below.

Why are you an MTP ride leader?

Brooke Nelson: For me, riding my bike feels liberating and powerful. Bicycles are a tool for community organizing and healing. I am an MTP ride leader because I want to share my passion for bikes with young people and inspire them to see their own power, both on and off of their bikes. Working for the Major Taylor Project specifically is one way to disrupt the narrative around whiteness and white supremacy culture in cycling, as well as share resources with unincorporated King County communities who don’t receive the representation and investment that they need and deserve.

What's fun or rewarding about being involved with MTP?

BN: It’s fun getting to know the students and seeing them grow each season. I love when a young person decides to be bold by stepping up to a hill, distance, skill, or mechanical problem that they haven’t tried before. The excitement that they get when they accomplish a goal and prove that they are capable is really rewarding for me.

Tell us about the apprenticeship program.

BN: The apprenticeship program was started when I was working at Montlake Bicycle Shop and had access to apply for the QBP Community Grant. I was a new ride leader, in the first year of my Masters in Social Work at the University of Washington, and looking for ways to tie together my social work skills and the power of bikes to create social change.

The apprenticeship program is an extension of MTP's goal to support youth both on and off of the bike. Apprentices gain leadership and job skills through lessons in bike mechanics, route planning, resumé building, interview practice, budgeting, and group facilitation. Apprentices are awarded a stipend for their work and may be brought on as ride leaders in the future.

I’ll let the apprentices speak about their experiences in the program.

What have you learned and practiced, and what’s rewarding about being an apprentice?

Josue Soledad: We demonstrated what we learned a week prior to the other peers in the class. Learning and teaching helps me relearn or solidify the learning. The fun part was taking leadership and getting to teach and feel confident in what I was doing.

Ari Ramirez: Changing out a tube was one of the first things we learned, and teaching it to the club members helped me solidify it. Thinking back, it is the lesson that I remember most. If I didn’t teach it, I wouldn’t be as confident in the skill. It was nice to be able to share my knowledge and skills from what we learned earlier in the club. This really felt welcoming and safe, and I want to reciprocate that to other students.

Nelson Platero: What’s fun is that I got to meet new and amazing people. What I love is that everyone is unique and no one is getting put down for their beliefs and values. Something I learned in the apprenticeship is how to change a tube, how to take it out and what tools I need so that the process goes smoothly. I also learned to tighten the brake cables so I won’t go flying down the road.

How have you changed during your four years in MTP?

Nelson Platero: I changed from a little kid who needs supervision, to someone who looks out for others who need help. Bike club is important to me because it teaches me humility and skills I will need in my future. No matter our background we ride the same road.

Thank you Brooke, Ari, Josue, and Nelson! And a big thanks to Montlake Bicycle Shop and QBP for making these apprenticeships possible.

If you're interested in joining Brooke in this work, apply to become an MTP ride Leader (now hiring for Spring 2023), or consider registering as a volunteer.

Join MTP students on the Ride for Major Taylor

If you want to support MTP and go for a great bike ride, register for the Ride for Major Taylor on April 23. We are offering a short loop of 26 miles and a long loop of 63 miles, both starting and ending at the White Center Bicycle Playground in West Seattle.

For the second straight year, riders can enjoy some delicious Ezell’s Famous Chicken (plus vegan options) at the finish line lunch stop and post-ride celebration. Better yet, your registration fees support MTP bike clubs in South Seattle and Tacoma.

Ride for Major Taylor participants will also have the opportunity to say hello to a group of Tacoma MTP youth who plan to ride the 26-mile route. “Due to the pandemic, this will be the first opportunity for a lot of our MTP youth to experience and ride in Cascade events,” says Tacoma MTP Manager Josh Stowell. “I’m really excited about that. We’ve been doing a lot more riding and our students are getting stronger.”

Cascade Hires Two Program Officers to Expand Youth Bike Education Statewide

Admin Example — Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:27:07 +0000

Cascade Hires Two Program Officers to Expand Youth Bike Education Statewide Admin Example Wed, 03/15/2023 - 08:27

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Wed, 03/15/2023 - 01:27

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Education and MTP News

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Paul Tolmé

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1 min read

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In 2022, Washington state selected Cascade Bicycle Club to help deliver school-based bike education to youth statewide, modeled on Cascade’s Let’s Go and Major Taylor Project programs.
Cascade has hired two Program Officers–Jacquelyn “Jax” Billups and Tina Castillo–to lead this initiative serving students from elementary through high school starting with “overburdened communities and high need school districts.”

Two women recently hired by Cascade Bicycle Club will be at the forefront of a historic effort to expand bike education to schools and students across Washington state.

Jacquelyn “Jax” Billups and Tina Castillo will work as program officers in the Education Department as Cascade implements the new School-Based Bicycle Safety Education Program created by last year’s Move Ahead Washington legislation.

Castillo fills the new position of In-School Bike Education Program Officer, and Billups will serve as the new Youth Development Program Officer.

The new statewide youth bike education initiative will have two programs: one serving grades three through eight, and another serving junior high and high school students. The curriculum for elementary and middle school students will be based on Cascade’s “Let’s Go” and “Let’s Go Further” programs currently serving thousands of students in Seattle and Edmonds.

The junior high and high school programming is inspired by Cascade’s Major Taylor Project (MTP), which empowers youth through after-school bicycling clubs and build-a-bike programs in South Seattle and Tacoma communities that have been historically underserved.

Tina Castillo: In-School Bike Education Program Officer

Castillo will guide the creation of the in-school programming for grades three through eight. She was born and raised in Mount Vernon, Wash., and she proudly calls the Skagit Valley home.

Castillo grew up riding her BMX bike down city sidewalks and discovered bicycling for transportation while attending Gonzaga University in Spokane. While living in Bellingham, she fell in love with mountain biking and developed a passion for getting youth on bicycles through her volunteer work with the Vamos Outdoors Project.

“What an amazing opportunity this is to help expand bicycle education to kids across Washington,” Castillo says. “This work 100 percent aligns with my dream of creating a world where bike riders of all ages, races, genders, income levels, and abilities can experience the joys of bicycling.”

Jacquelyn “Jax” Billups: Youth Development Program Officer

Billups will implement the junior high and high school programming serving students in grades six through 12.

“I lept at the opportunity to accept this job after a decade-long career in teaching and subsequent roles serving the community through policy and anti-slavery work,” Billups says. Most recently, she managed a series of culturally attuned public health projects including one that identified and challenged inequitable data practices.

“Equitable data collection is crucial to creating a more just society and ending the further marginalization of historically underserved and marginalized communities,” Billups says.

Billups moved to Seattle from Minot, N.D., in the early 2000s to pursue an economics degree at Seattle Pacific University. “I am eager to bring my skill set to this role, and to support youth in advancing their agency through the freedom of mobility and healthful lifestyles that bicycling for transportation and recreation delivers.”

Washington State Shows National Leadership in Youth Bicycling

Leading with an equity lens, these programs will roll out first in “overburdened communities and high need school districts,” according to the Washington State Department of Transportation, which will administer the program in partnership with Cascade.

Combined, the in-school and after-school programs represent the largest and most comprehensive statewide youth bicycling initiative of their kind in the nation–and they illustrate why Washington is widely recognized as the most bicycle-friendly state in the country.

Learn more about the statewide youth bicycling initiative in Cascade News.

Read the state’s program startup report for the School-Based Bicycle Safety Education Program.

MTP Hits the Green River Trail, Preps for Winter Build-a-Bike

Admin Example — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 19:40:21 +0000

MTP Hits the Green River Trail, Preps for Winter Build-a-Bike Admin Example Thu, 11/10/2022 - 11:40

Publication/Release Date

Thu, 11/10/2022 - 03:40

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Education and MTP News

Author

Paul Tolmé

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1 min read

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The Major Taylor Program is celebrating a big fall rides season--and looking ahead to winter Build-a-Bike programs in Seattle and Tacoma.
Learn about the volunteers who make these rides possible, and consider donating to or volunteering for an MTP bike club in 2023.

On Nov. 12, Major Taylor Project youth gathered in Tukwila for a scenic ride on the Green River Trail, capping an exciting fall rides season for MTP.

The Green River Trail excursion followed a previous weekend ride on Oct. 29, when MTP youth pedaled from Seattle's Washington Park Arboretum to Magnuson Park along the Burke-Gilman Trail, as well as a ride through the Snoqualmie Tunnel on the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. These rides through leafy forestlands on separated bike trails are an opportunity to enjoy safe riding conditions with lush scenery, says Major Taylor Project Manager Joel Allen.

“Many of the communities where these youth live are lacking safe biking infrastructure,” Allen says, “and they talked about how beautiful it (the Washington Park Arboretum) was, and how they want more of this.”

The Major Taylor Project supports Black and Indigenous teens and teens of color from systemically underserved neighborhoods in South Seattle, West Seattle, and Tacoma, connecting them with the outdoors, develop leadership skills, and gaining bike knowledge.

Snoqualmie Tunnel ride.

Like the youth they serve, the Tacoma and Seattle MTP programs have endured adversity through the pandemic due to school closures and health concerns. But they are bouncing back and gaining steam.

In Tacoma, MTP Manager Josh Stowell has been holding fall bike clubs at four schools (Mount Tahoma High School, IDEA High School, First Creek Middle School), with students from Stewart Middle School, Lincoln High School, Foss High School, and Gray Middle School traveling to attend those clubs. Stowell plans to start a club at Hilltop Heritage Middle School in the spring.

In Seattle and South King County, Allen is leading three after-school MTP bike clubs for about 40 youth at Tyee High School in SeaTac, Dimmitt Middle School in Seattle, and Cascade Middle School in White Center.

MTP Volunteers Make the Difference

Both Tacoma and Seattle MTP are hiring MTP ride leaders and recruiting volunteers. Learn more about becoming a volunteer ride leader here.

Stowell praised volunteer Phillip Lord, a Mount Tahoma teacher who “has been a hero for MTP. He always shows up, he is dedicated and enthusiastic, and he gets bikes donated.”

Zach Varnell, co-director of innovation at Partner Schools, is another big Tacoma MTP supporter. He helped MTP secure a meeting space for a bike club at IDEA–converting an old kitchen into what is now known as the "Bike Kitchen," Stowell says.

In Seattle, Allen thanked his MTP ride leaders Brooke Nelson, Teresa Kessenich-Chase, Zachary Tremblay, and Andrew Garcia. He also extended gratitude to MTP volunteers Phil Singer, David Cuerpo, Radfield Justice, Matthew Setter, Tim Fields, and Whitney Fraser.

Singer, Cuerpo, and Setter helped lead and organize the recent ride from the Washington Park Arboretum to Magnuson Park, missing the Cascade Volunteer Party being held at the same time. “That is a hero volunteer in my book,” says Tremblay, who also praised Fraser for her years of volunteering for MTP youth in White Center.

MTP Goes MTB

In April, we wrote about Stowell’s efforts to get MTP kids riding in Swan Creek Park, which features a network of mountain bike trails designed for both beginner and experienced riders. Stowell re-started the MTP mountain bike club at First Creek Middle School this fall, and the response was amazing.

“To have a mountain bike club in Tacoma is so exciting. This is a huge opportunity to get kids out into the woods,” Stowell says. “Many kids don’t know these great trails are right here. We want to help them discover this great resource. It’s a great time to be a mountain biker in Tacoma thanks to Swan Creek Park.”

Stowell became a dad earlier this year. That kid's got BMX in his DNA.

Over the summer, Stowell and three Tacoma MTP students participated in the Wednesday Night Worlds mountain bike competitions in SeaTac. “We’ve got three kids who are really jazzed about racing mountain bikes.”

One of the students, Mateo, broke his derailleur in a race. “But that didn’t stop him. He shouldered his bike and ran the rest of the race,” Stowell says. “That’s commitment.”

Seeking Donations for Build-a-Bike

Watching the MTP youth progress on bicycles and mature as young adults has been extremely fulfilling for Stowell. Some of the students he met as middle schoolers are now high school seniors. “It has been incredible to watch them grow.”

One of these students, Lextor, has developed a love for BMX riding. Stowell, who raced BMX bikes professionally as a youth, has given him several BMX bikes.

Another student, Crystal, has been with MTP since middle school and is now preparing to graduate from high school. “She got a new Build-a-Bike during the spring and she loves it.”

This winter, Stowell plans to hold a Build-a-Bike session during the rainy and cold months. Build-a-Bike gives MTP students the opportunity to learn bike mechanic skills and take home a bike they’ve assembled.

In Seattle, Allen plans to start a Build-a-Bike program in mid-January. “We will do a fund-raising push for Build-a-Bike this winter, and a snack drive,” Allen says. “Cascade is always looking for volunteers to assist as MTP ride leaders.”

Learn more about donating bikes and gear to MTP.

Snoqualmie Tunnel ride.

Teaching Bike Skills to Edmonds Schoolchildren

Admin Example — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 19:38:40 +0000

Teaching Bike Skills to Edmonds Schoolchildren Admin Example Thu, 09/15/2022 - 12:38

Publication/Release Date

Thu, 09/15/2022 - 05:38

News Category

Education and MTP News

Author

Paul Tolmé

Read time

1 min read

Content Blocks

Edmonds has Washington state’s second-largest public school bicycling curriculum, with about 5,000 children participating in Let’s Go Edmonds this school year.
The challenge now? Building the bike infrastructure that encourages more children and Edmonds residents to ride.
Learn more about Let’s Go and chat with members of the Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Group on Oct. 8 at the Edmonds Summer Market.

It’s back-to-school season, and for kids in the Edmonds School District that means it’s time to ride bikes.

Edmonds, a small city on the Puget Sound about 15 miles north of Seattle, is home to Washington state’s second-largest public school bicycling education program.

About 5,000 elementary and middle school students will participate in the Let’s Go Edmonds bicycling curriculum during the 2022-23 school year. Only Seattle, which has upwards of 20,000 school kids participating in its Let’s Go curriculum, has a larger school-based bike education program.

A collaboration between Cascade Bicycle Club and the Edmonds School District, with funding from Verdant Health and the Hazel Miller Foundation, Let’s Go Edmonds is incredibly popular with students, says Jenni McCloughan, who oversees health and physical education for the Edmonds School District.

“The kids are always excited for Let’s Go,” McCloughan says. “I have a brand new PE teacher, and he said the first thing the kids asked him was, ‘When do we get to ride the bikes?’”

“The kids really enjoy it, and they learn so much,” McCloughan adds. “Not just about how to ride a bike, but also how to safely ride on the road.”

On Oct. 8, parents and community members can learn more about Let’s Go Edmonds during the season’s final Edmonds Summer Market. The Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Group, known as EBAG, will have a booth at the street fair with kids’ bikes on display, plus giveaways and information for parents.

“We want to let parents and the community know about the great bike education programming in Edmonds,” says Peter Hallson of EBAG. “A lot of people in the community are unaware of Let’s Go, and we want parents to be aware of the great bike education their kids are getting.”

Cascade Bicycle Club provides and maintains the 93 bikes, plus the helmets and teaching materials, for Let’s Go Edmonds, which is taught by physical education teachers in the school district’s 21 elementary and four middle schools.

On Tuesday (Sept. 13), Cascade’s Let’s Go Program Manager A.J. Benaltabe and Program Coordinator Shannon Mangan held a training session in Edmonds for the district’s middle school physical education teachers.

During the training Benaltabe and Mangan demonstrated the basics of helmet and bike fitting, as well as best practices for braking and shifting. Next, the PE teachers did some practice lessons in preparation for the school year.

McCloughan praised Cascade for its longtime support of Let’s Go Edmonds, and she heaped compliments on Benaltabe. “A.J. is a former teacher so he understands what teachers need and how crazy their schedules are. He does an incredible job, and we are so happy with this partnership.”

Making Edmonds More Bike-Friendly

The next challenge for Edmonds is to make its streets safer so that students can use their newfound bike skills out in the community.

Edmonds has a growing network of bike routes and bike lanes, and the paved Interurban Trail is a short ride from downtown.

But like many communities, Edmonds has gaps in its bike infrastructure network. That’s where the Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Group is pushing for change. The group works to build community support for more investments in bike infrastructure, and the organization is seeking more volunteers.

Hallson, a retiree and Cascade ride leader, still rides 4,000 miles per year at age 87. EBAG co-chair Margaret Elwood rides an electric bike after developing multiple sclerosis and is a supporter of ebikes. Read her story, “Grandma Rides an E-Bike,” on My Edmonds News.

Edmonds City Councilor Will Chen, who grew up using a bicycle as his primary means of transportation in China, says community support is crucial for improving the city’s bike infrastructure.

This year, Chen says, Edmonds will add a new northbound bike lane (to supplement the existing southbound bike lane) along 76th Avenue between 196th and Olympic View Drive.

One of the highest-priority bike infrastructure projects according to Chen and Elwood is a safer bike crossing of SR 104, which severs the Interurban Trail and forces people on bikes to pass through a sketchy intersection. Elwood describes the difficulty of pedaling through this intersection in her My Edmonds News story:

“The Interurban Trail puts cyclists into a bike lane on 76th going up a steep hill. Then just before the intersection with SR 104, the bike lane disappears!” she writes.

While riding home to Seattle from Edmonds after interviewing Hallson and Elwood, I pedaled through this intersection and can confirm that it stinks.

People on bikes who hit a red light at this intersection while heading southbound on the Interurban Trail must either ride onto the sidewalk to get out of the right turning lane, or they must block right-turning traffic while waiting for the green light. When the light turns green, riders must quickly resume pedaling uphill from a complete stop as cars wait behind.

This poorly designed intersection is the type of bike infrastructure gap that Cascade and bike advocates hope to close in future years with funding from the Move Ahead Washington transportation package.

Looking for a safe space to ride with kids? Elwood recommends the mile or so of Interurban Trail that runs along the west side of Lake Ballinger, as well as the wide trail that runs up to the Community Center near Ballinger Park.

“The Edmonds bike infrastructure is improving but we need more of it,” Elwood says.

The 5,000 children who receive Let’s Go bike education skills annually in Edmonds would likely agree.

Learn More:

Visit our Let’s Go landing page.
Read about Seattle’s Let’s Go curriculum, the largest of its kind in the nation.
Watch our Bikes Bridge Communities video, which includes a segment about Let’s Go.

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We passed the mic to Brooke and her student apprentices to share their feelings about the fulfillment that comes from teaching bike skills.

Support MTP by registering for the Ride for Major Taylor on April 23.

By Brooke Nelson, Josue Soledad, Ari Ramirez, and Nelson Platero

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Join MTP students on the Ride for Major Taylor

Cascade Hires Two Program Officers to Expand Youth Bike Education Statewide

In 2022, Washington state selected Cascade Bicycle Club to help deliver school-based bike education to youth statewide, modeled on Cascade’s Let’s Go and Major Taylor Project programs.

Cascade has hired two Program Officers–Jacquelyn “Jax” Billups and Tina Castillo–to lead this initiative serving students from elementary through high school starting with “overburdened communities and high need school districts.”

Tina Castillo: In-School Bike Education Program Officer

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MTP Hits the Green River Trail, Preps for Winter Build-a-Bike

The Major Taylor Program is celebrating a big fall rides season--and looking ahead to winter Build-a-Bike programs in Seattle and Tacoma.

Learn about the volunteers who make these rides possible, and consider donating to or volunteering for an MTP bike club in 2023.

Snoqualmie Tunnel ride.

MTP Volunteers Make the Difference

MTP Goes MTB

Stowell became a dad earlier this year. That kid's got BMX in his DNA.

Seeking Donations for Build-a-Bike

Snoqualmie Tunnel ride.

Teaching Bike Skills to Edmonds Schoolchildren

Edmonds has Washington state’s second-largest public school bicycling curriculum, with about 5,000 children participating in Let’s Go Edmonds this school year.

The challenge now? Building the bike infrastructure that encourages more children and Edmonds residents to ride.

Learn more about Let’s Go and chat with members of the Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Group on Oct. 8 at the Edmonds Summer Market.

Making Edmonds More Bike-Friendly

Learn More: